My manager apparently got chewed out and has been extremely stressed and it is affecting our manager-employee relationship.

But it isn't like I'm the only employee there who has had his run-ins with our manager. When my manager, who has a little power over whether I'm making money or not, starts getting an attitude with me, it is a little nerve racking. He can be pretty intense at times and I don't respond well to that because it reminds me so much of the bad times with my own step-dad and I let my manager's boss know it. I was highly anxious at that time. So much, I was engulfed by it. I talked to the friendly lady (she's awesome!) who works in personnel and I asked her if I was out of line for feeling this way. She said no and if it becomes too overbearing that I just need to talk to him man to man and see if we can get it resolved before getting upper management involved. I'm currently adhering to her advice. I'm doing my best to follow it. So far I haven't had to talk to him. I have a feeling I will, though.

For example, yesterday I was on my break and he was still on the clock, and he told me that the department can't take our lunch breaks when we want to and we can't wait 'til the very end of our shift to use our 15 minute break. I told him I understand I will comply and I covered my own tracks (I guess because of anxiety) by letting him know that he informed me that I was able to take my breaks whenever when I first started working there up until this point.

I then proceeded to question it. I explained that I don't really understand why the policy is the way it is but I would comply. It is important to note that I wasn't challenging his authority or the policy and I definitely wasn't being abrasive or trying to start a problem. I simply questioned the policy (I love to inquire) and told him it didn't make sense to me. In the past, he would be like "well, that's just Walmart." Instead when he heard me question it, I think he interpreted that as me trying to rebel, which I wasn't. So he, whilst standing beside his boss, told me that I could "question everything [to death]," but he just wanted me to "follow guidelines." He looked mad as hell, too. I abruptly responded, "I'm not trying to argue, here" and I exited the room because I felt uncomfortable.

I feel that it is also important to note that I am very talkative at work and I can understand that can be seen as a bad thing but I get just as much work and maybe more on days where I'm talkative vs where I'm not talking. I ask questions about the department because I want to be involved and understand what's happening with my work. I love to joke around and play but I don't horse around and I definitely don't let it engulf my work. In fact, I would say I'm tied for the best worker in the department with my buddy but he's probably valued a bit more because he's older and has never had a problem with being to work on time (I barely do unless it's super early like 5am) and he's definitely not as loud, boisterous, or as playful as me.

Another little side note about work I wanted to touch on is my concern about how detailed I am. I take 60mg of Vyvanse everyday before I go to work. I try to take it at nine or before. When we are prepping our department (produce), he will tell me to fill the berries up so I'll go over to that sub-section and I will straighten it and get it ready to be filled. I'll also straighten the parent section because my manager always preaches that if you are working in a certain section, straighten it. He always says presentation is key and I listen like a rookie and I take pride in my work. Sometimes I might waste a little time (not much, maybe 5 minutes) focusing on the some super small details, most likely unnoticeable to customers but definitely noticeable to me and it bothers me for a second while I'm looking at it but if I was to walk away and do something else, I wouldn't remember it. I will mention something that I think might make the department look better and if he isn't receptive, I'll revamp the idea and present it. I don't do this one thousand times. Just here and there. And he is never receptive. He always make some B.S. excuse.

My manager apparently got chewed out and has been extremely stressed and it is affecting our manager-employee relationship.

But it isn't like I'm the only employee there who has had his run-ins with our manager. When my manager, who has a little power over whether I'm making money or not, starts getting an attitude with me, it is a little nerve racking. He can be pretty intense at times and I don't respond well to that because it reminds me so much of the bad times with my own step-dad and I let my manager's boss know it. I was highly anxious at that time. So much, I was engulfed by it. I talked to the friendly lady (she's awesome!) who works in personnel and I asked her if I was out of line for feeling this way. She said no and if it becomes too overbearing that I just need to talk to him man to man and see if we can get it resolved before getting upper management involved. I'm currently adhering to her advice. I'm doing my best to follow it. So far I haven't had to talk to him. I have a feeling I will, though.

For example, yesterday I was on my break and he was still on the clock, and he told me that the department can't take our lunch breaks when we want to and we can't wait 'til the very end of our shift to use our 15 minute break. I told him I understand I will comply and I covered my own tracks (I guess because of anxiety) by letting him know that he informed me that I was able to take my breaks whenever when I first started working there up until this point.

I then proceeded to question it. I explained that I don't really understand why the policy is the way it is but I would comply. It is important to note that I wasn't challenging his authority or the policy and I definitely wasn't being abrasive or trying to start a problem. I simply questioned the policy (I love to inquire) and told him it didn't make sense to me. In the past, he would be like "well, that's just Walmart." Instead when he heard me question it, I think he interpreted that as me trying to rebel, which I wasn't. So he, whilst standing beside his boss, told me that I could "question everything [to death]," but he just wanted me to "follow guidelines." He looked mad as hell, too. I abruptly responded, "I'm not trying to argue, here" and I exited the room because I felt uncomfortable.

I feel that it is also important to note that I am very talkative at work and I can understand that can be seen as a bad thing but I get just as much work and maybe more on days where I'm talkative vs where I'm not talking. I ask questions about the department because I want to be involved and understand what's happening with my work. I love to joke around and play but I don't horse around and I definitely don't let it engulf my work. In fact, I would say I'm tied for the best worker in the department with my buddy but he's probably valued a bit more because he's older and has never had a problem with being to work on time (I barely do unless it's super early like 5am) and he's definitely not as loud, boisterous, or as playful as me.

Another little side note about work I wanted to touch on is my concern about how detailed I am. I take 60mg of Vyvanse everyday before I go to work. I try to take it at nine or before. When we are prepping our department (produce), he will tell me to fill the berries up so I'll go over to that sub-section and I will straighten it and get it ready to be filled. I'll also straighten the parent section because my manager always preaches that if you are working in a certain section, straighten it. He always says presentation is key and I listen like a rookie and I take pride in my work. Sometimes I might waste a little time (not much, maybe 5 minutes) focusing on the some super small details, most likely unnoticeable to customers but definitely noticeable to me and it bothers me for a second while I'm looking at it but if I was to walk away and do something else, I wouldn't remember it. I will mention something that I think might make the department look better and if he isn't receptive, I'll revamp the idea and present it. I don't do this one thousand times. Just here and there. And he is never receptive. He always make some B.S. excuse.

If you finish at 5pm you can't take your 15 break at 4:45pm and leave...because that's the time of the day when your boss needs you most. Everyone wants to go home early not just you but there's still work that needs to be done. What would it be like if everyone saved their 2x 15 break and 1 hour lunch and took all of it at 3:30pm and went home? That wouldn't work now would it? You have a job to do and your job ends at 5pm period. There's no way around and if I were you I would stop the bull-s because it makes you look bad. If you're sick, you book a sick day and go home, if you're not sick you stay until the shift is over. Not complicated. Your boss is ok, I would get mad too at 4:55pm when I'm tired, I want to finish my stuff to go home to my family and there's no one around to help me because they all took their 15 break at 4:45pm.

You eat when everyone eats, you go to the washrooms when everyone goes to the washrooms, you cough when everyone coughs. You can't take your lunch during the busiest time in your shift to evade work, you can't go to the washrooms when someone needs your service and you can't cough during meetings when someone talks. A little discipline wouldn't be bad for you my friend. If you were in the army and you told that to your colonel he would send your front teeth flying before you're even done talking.

I then proceeded to question it. I explained that I don't really understand why the policy is the way it is but I would comply. It is important to note that I wasn't challenging his authority or the policy and I definitely wasn't being abrasive or trying to start a problem. I simply questioned the policy (I love to inquire) and told him it didn't make sense to me. In the past, he would be like "well, that's just Walmart." Instead when he heard me question it, I think he interpreted that as me trying to rebel, which I wasn't. So he, whilst standing beside his boss, told me that I could "question everything [to death]," but he just wanted me to "follow guidelines." He looked mad as hell, too. I abruptly responded, "I'm not trying to argue, here" and I exited the room because I felt uncomfortable.

Some advice? When you feel the need to question a rule or practice, ask yourself this question: "Is the person I'm going to question about this rule or practice the person who made the rule or policy?" If the answer is no, put a sock in it and discuss it with your buddies at coffee break.

__________________

Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.

It sounds like he might be kinda a jerk. I mean if he told you that you could break whenever when you started., why is he now changing his mind? Maybe it's because his boss yelled at him so he wants to crack down.

I don't really think you're doing bad there. From what you describe, I feel as you're not receiving the most receptive communication with your boss as you would like. Do you feel like you are not valued by him?

It sounds like he might be kinda a jerk. I mean if he told you that you could break whenever when you started., why is he now changing his mind? Maybe it's because his boss yelled at him so he wants to crack down.

Perhaps this manager is new in his position and didn't know he had to be more specific, set limits and boundaries, with his staff? Perhaps the manager's boss isn't happy with the "anytime you want" arrangement and called him on it so he had to pass the word down to his employees.

__________________

Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.

Perhaps this manager is new in his position and didn't know he had to be more specific, set limits and boundaries, with his staff? Perhaps the manager's boss isn't happy with the "anytime you want" arrangement and called him on it so he had to pass the word down to his employees.

Could be. I think it would be difficult for a manager to maintain track of when employees are taking break's if they are not on a fixed schedule.

It sounds like your boss is being made to follow policies himself, he was probably happier just managing the way he wanted and trusting employees. Just keep being nice and efficient, it will all work out. - really it's his problem, not yours or something you did.

Welcome to the corporate world, things are done because head office says so and there is no other reason. You do as you are told. Also NEVER question a boss in front of their boss! EVER.

__________________

The absurdity of working so hard to continue doing something you don't like can be overwhelming. And the longer it takes to feel different, the more it starts to seem like everything might actually be hopeless bull. ~ Hyperbole and a Half

Last edited by APSJ; 02-06-11 at 08:34 PM..

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to RedHairedWitch For This Useful Post:

Welcome to the corporate world, things are done because head office says so and there is no other reason. You do as you are told. Also NEVER question a boss in front of their boss! EVER.

Why is that? The place where I work offers a little freedom, so I abuse it. If I have freedom to inquire and try and gain understanding, I will. If I understand something better, I will be a better worker. If my boss had just explained why this was happening, I would've been like "oh, okay, I see" and moved right a long. I am a seeker of understanding and when things get thrown at me that are out of context and come from nowhere (in my mind), I question it. I would say that is a fundamental, universal trait of humans which society tries to derail because it is a lot of people don't like questions. Questions lead to truths, which lead to knowledge, which can lead to change, etc.

And it's not like I questioned him in some demeaning, argumentative, abrasive manner. I just simply asked out of curiosity. I do that. I know if I was to raise hell about it and complain about it and whine, that's bad. But that's not what happened or maybe I am expecting too much when I'm assuming my boss would realize that.

And for the record, everyone is scheduled at different times except on rare occasions. For example, we have 7 people (including mgr) but an upwards of 5 work a day. Our earliest shift works at 5am-2pm and then the next is 7-4 pm, etc so we can't take our breaks at the same time and wash our hands at the same time. We were told we could take our breaks whenever we felt like so I chose to put mine off until I needed it, which is usually later than what he is now expecting.

I never once said I wasn't going to follow policy... I just wondered why it was that way. I'm a techie, guys. That's my job. I like to look at systems and sub-systems and things like that. I basically love to analyze and dissect. Forgive me. Why does it seem like the world is run by militant fear-strikers?

Originally Posted by RedHairedWitchWelcome to the corporate world, things are done because head office says so and there is no other reason. You do as you are told. Also NEVER question a boss in front of their boss! EVER.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anotherADDkid

Why is that?

Because it is a cardinal sin in even the most liberal working environments. It is basic human psychology at work. There is no getting around that.
You can reason all you want but your manager is never going to see it your way.

I never once said I wasn't going to follow policy... I just wondered why it was that way. I'm a techie, guys. That's my job. I like to look at systems and sub-systems and things like that. I basically love to analyze and dissect.

You get paid to figure things out by yourself?

__________________

Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.

Unless your boss knows you well enough to know without a doubt that you're just curious then it sounds like you're trying to find a way (and see if it's OK to boot) of manipulating the system. To make it worse, it sounds like you're trying to manipulate the system in a way that lets you take off early, which makes you seem like you don't really want to do the work.

I know that you'd still be putting in the same time regardless of when you take your breaks, but once you start throwing around leaving early it makes you seem lazy, like you don't care about the job, etc, even if that's not really the case.

Unless your boss knows you well enough to know without a doubt that you're just curious then it sounds like you're trying to find a way (and see if it's OK to boot) of manipulating the system. To make it worse, it sounds like you're trying to manipulate the system in a way that lets you take off early, which makes you seem like you don't really want to do the work.

I know that you'd still be putting in the same time regardless of when you take your breaks, but once you start throwing around leaving early it makes you seem lazy, like you don't care about the job, etc, even if that's not really the case.

Perception is everything.

I think there are very strong words that are being thrown around here (manipulation, lazy). I think it's actually smart on the OP's part to figure out a way to leave work a little early as long as his work is getting accomplished. Maybe he feels as though he doesn't need the break so why take it? Maybe he has better things to do.

I don't view this as manipulation. I view it as someone who is kind of testing the waters. The reality is that he will work the same amount of hours regardless of whether or not he takes his 15 minutes in the beginning of his shift or towards the end. I think this is a rather rational way of thinking. Again, it may not sit too well with the boss and that's what the word "no" is used for.